Shifting Gears (Crossroads Series Book 2) Read Online Free PDF Page A

though. “Fine, if you insist. I’m off Mondays and Tuesdays. I’m going on record saying that I think fucking is better than beer, but apparently you don’t agree. I’ll text you this weekend.”
    Rod turned to walk away, but Landon grabbed his arm before he could leave. “I won’t fuck you because I like you. I don’t fuck people I like. Sex and friendship don’t typically go together with me. Too much hassle. You’re a fun guy. We could be friends, and I would like to have a few of those right now. If I fucked you, I’d stop talking to you, and I don’t want that to happen. I’m telling you right now that’s the only reason I’m not taking your ass. Otherwise, it already would have been mine.”
    Landon winked at him and then pulled his hand back. He put his helmet on, started his bike, and walked it backward before he was out of the space.
    I won’t fuck you because I like you.
    You’re a fun guy. We could be friends.
    Landon’s words played through his head. It was the first time in his life someone had said something like that to him. Typically when it came to attraction, hell when it came to anything, people either weren’t interested in him, or they fucked each other and walked away.
    If I fucked you, I’d stop talking to you, and I don’t want that to happen. I’m telling you right now that’s the only reason I’m not taking your ass.
    Rod was still standing there sorting through his thoughts when Landon drove away.

     
     

CHAPTER FIVE
    “Where are you off to?” Landon’s mom asked Monday evening just before he was about to walk out the door.
    “I’m going out for a beer with Rod. He’s the guy I met who told me about the job.”
    She smiled at him. Shanen had the same smile as their mom. It was a smile that said, tell me more. Tell me everything, so I can give you advice. “A date? Will you be home tonight?”
    She meant well, he knew that, but he really didn’t know how long he could handle living here if she wanted to know where he was going, and when he’d be home every time he left. He was a grown man. He had a key. He could let himself in. That’s all that mattered.
    It was odd. She seemed to check up on him more now than she did when he was a kid—Where are you going? When will you be home?
    “No date. He’s a friend.” Which apparently Rod didn’t like very much. Not that Landon could blame him. “I’ll be home tonight.”
    “It’s fine if you’re not. You’re an adult, Landon. You can do whatever you want.”
    “Thanks, Ma.” He winked at her, and she shook her head at him. “I really am beginning to think you’re trying to get rid of me.”
    “You know that’s not true. I love my family. Family means everything.”
    It did, or at least family should mean everything. Before they got onto a topic that Landon didn’t want to talk about, he said, “See you later,” and walked out, closing the door behind him.
    Rod lived between Landon and the shop, along a scenic route where Landon could take the back roads. He’d looked up directions after Rod gave him the address, hoping he could stay off freeways. If he could, he always took side roads, just him and his bike without cars and people all around him.
    A little over twenty minutes later he pulled up at Rod’s place. He was surprised to see he lived in a small house, in what looked like a family neighborhood. He wasn’t sure why he expected something different, but he had. It looked more conservative than what he imagined for the man who Landon saw as free-spirited.
    He parked his bike, got off, and then walked to the door. He knocked twice before Rod answered, and holy shit did this feel like a fucking date. Landon wasn’t a dater, never had been and never would be. “This is weird. We should have met there.”
    “Why?” Rod’s dark brows pulled together.
    “This feels like a date.”
    “No offense, but that sounds like a personal problem to me. We’re friends—as you told me. We’re going to